This would have been a great game to forfeit after the second period if that was at all possible. This thrid period has been useless as both teams are just running out the clock and risk losing a player to injury.

The Buzz: The Canucksâ€™ slide continues with no end in sight. In fact, they looked worse tonight than in previous losses versus Colorado and Calgary and showed no signs of being able to swing this thing around. Their destiny is in their own hands and theyâ€™re dropping the ball right now.

Turning Point: Maybe the puck drop. The Canucks werenâ€™t near ready for this one.

Donnybrook: A line brawl in the third period after Alex Burrows crosschecked Pierre-Marc Bouchard in the head came at a point when the game didnâ€™t matter whatsoever. Burrows was given a match penalty and risks a possible suspension.

Class act: New daddy Roberto Luongo goes from bedside to rinkside and makes it into the line-up just one day after his wife gives birth to a baby girl, Gabriella. Unfortunately the rest of his team lets him down in one of the most important games of the year. He should have stayed in Florida, enjoying his daughterâ€™s birth.

X-file: With the win, Minnesota clinches a playoff berth and move three points up on Calgary for the Northwest title.

Lamplighter: Bouchard opened the scoring with a blast past Luongo, snapping his own 18-game scoring drought.

Larry, the Canucks as a team and especially the defence are giving up the middle of the ice or the slot to the other teams and allowing them time to pick the high corners on Luongo. These are NHL shooters when given time and space will bury 3 out every 10 shots. They have been backing in and giving up their own zone to the other teams, they also have been slow to clear any rebounds, won't knock the forwards down when there are scrambles around the net and haven't broken up the pass in front on 2 on 1s. In other words, the defensive zone coverage has broken down and none of the basic defensive fundamentals are being followed. The only way Luongo could have performed better would be to change his dimensions to 4' by 6'.

mr perfect wrote: The only way Luongo could have performed better would be to change his dimensions to 4' by 6'.

I think you should watch the goals again. The second, he was on his knees and both hands were on the ice as if looking for contacts. It was said he was reaching for the puck??; well it was on the guys stick. Bad play.

However I'm not one of those that calls every clear shot that goes in undeflected a bad goal. A good shot to the top corners or why are just gonna go in.. you can't stop rockets.

He just has not been at his talent level, but then besides Burrows who has?

He just has not been at his talent level, but then besides Burrows who has?

To be fair, we have to look at the brutal schedule this team has been through. This has got to be one of the worst schedules the Canucks have ever had while I've been alive and I am 30 years old. I haven't been around for every season but enough to understand just how brutal this season has been travel wise for the Canucks.